How to survive when your car stalls...

[Eleanors38]

CAUTION: Be sure to read owner's manual before trying this.

When your car stalls while moving, you lose assist to both power steering & power brakes. That doesn't mean both systems have failed, only that the power loss is now a handicap not present in the days of "manual" brakes & steering.

Manual drum brakes back in the day were so sensitive, you could comfortably stop a 2+ ton Chevy without ordering the convenience of power brakes; manual steering, while taking some muscle, always readily "fed back" & remained facile to correction.

But everyone has PS and PB, and when the engine stalls, the brakes are like standing on a brick, and the steering is dead and resistant; worse, once you get the steering to turn, it won't feed back and you have to turn just as hard to correct your direction. In short, power assist DOES NOT revert back to "manual:" It's WORSE than manual.

Try this. Find an empty parking lot (no one around) and travel 10-15 mph. Turn the ignition off intentionally. Now, steer the vehicle with all you've got, one direction & the other. Stand on the brakes to stop the car. See what you are up against?

This may help you in the event of engine/power assist failure. Remember, your objective is to pull over to the right (better yet, off the ROW) and to stop the car before plowing into someone ahead.

[RebelOne]

1. Thanks for the advice. I'll remember it and hope it never happens. n/t

[Eleanors38]

4. Once you know what happens, you can get out of harm's way

without a problem. Tip: Faster you're rolling at engine failure, the easier the steering. Some cars allow you one brake pedal stroke due to residual vacuum, then it's brick-standing time!

[Curmudgeoness]

2. I had a car stall on me once

that had power steering and power brakes, and I have driven manual steering and brakes as well, and I can guarantee you that it is much worse when power fails. I think that it is a great idea to test how the car acts when stalled so that it doesn't freak you out.

But what would you look for in the owner's manual before you try this?

[Eleanors38]

3. On older cars, excessive coasting using automatic transmission.

Most cars w/ auto trannys can be damaged or ruined if towed or coasted, even in neutral. The differential will still spin the drive train thru the transmission, but without the engine running, fluid is not circulating through the internals, therefore friction and damage. Some allow short distances at -20 mph. Nowadays, wreckers just get the drive wheels off the pavement when towing.

[gejohnston]

5. and then people wonder why I like manual

transmissions.

[Eleanors38]

6. Yep. Strong reason for a clash box. There used to be a big MPG diff,

but that is fading away. With Constant Velocity Transmissions, milege may be better.

[happyslug]

7. but my Cruze has electric power steering and brakes

This is becoming more common for hybrids have ti have them. Conventional Power steering and brakes use hydraulics; no engine no power. With electric power steering and brakes you have both as long as you have battery power.